How’s work? with Caroline Adeyemi, Lucky Generals

Using only three words, describe work.

Why are you doing what you’re doing?

Because I believe that technology and creativity are a great means of effective mass communication.

Is the best yet to come?

Yes. The best will come when it will be normal to use technology and communication to service others in a meaningful way, not just ourselves.

Getting away from your desk. Discuss.

Absolutely necessary. Strategic thinking and creativity go hand-in-hand for me so I often need space or a change in context to focus and refresh my thinking.

Crying at work. Discuss.

Sometimes it happens. We should make space for that too if we need it.

What place does emotion have in decision-making?

Generally with emotions I think you should investigate why you have them, then decide if it’s relevant to the task or not.

Are we only as good as our last piece of work?

Nah.

If so, how good are you?

You’re as good as that great thing you thought of, even if you couldn’t make it.

Are you better at what you do because you work where you work?

Yes. I’m better at what I do because my environment allows me to be. Every workplace should know that you have to pour into people in order to get great work out of them. A one-way system, where people are expected to create outputs without anything being fed into them, isn’t sustainable. You can’t have people running on empty.

Who was your greatest ever colleague?

Katie Parsons.

Why?

I’ve never seen anyone take the time to push and nurture someone in the workplace the way that she did for me.

What about them do you bring back into your work and team?

It costs nothing to be kind.

Make space to support those who need it.

Be an example of what you expect to see.

You can set boundaries if they make you better at doing what you do.

Life and work seep into each other – you have to feed both.

Can we win?

Depends on what your goal is. Set the goal and then we’ll see.

A diverse tribe is a strong tribe. Discuss. I hear a lot of resistance to diversity.

It’s not surprising as a lot of it seems to be lip-service to blend in / appear current / avoid condemnation in a very volatile time. The reality is diversity is just the world that we see around us (especially if you live somewhere like London). It only means to co-exist, collaborate and exchange with the range of people around you (whether it’s race, gender, sexuality,
“tribe”, socioeconomic status or personality type). Diversity just means to not be prejudiced, so really, once you get over your ego, I don’t know what there is left to discuss.

Our how’s work? zine was created to start a conversation about wellbeing in the workplace. We asked people from across our industry a set of probing questions designed to dig into every facet of their wellbeing. Take a read of their thoughts here.